November 13, 2007 -- Payouts to higher-education presidents keep soaring, well, higher - with more than a dozen private universities' chiefs nationwide topping the $1 million mark, according to a new survey.

The 15 highest earners include two presidents of New York schools - Shirley Ann Jackson of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy and Albert Simone of the Rochester Institute of Technology - who each made $1.2 million in salary and benefits in 2005-06.

They were trailed by New York University President John Sexton, 21st in the country at $849,121, and Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, 33rd at $769,725, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Donald Ross, president of Lynn University, in Boca Raton, Fla., led the nation at $5.7 million - much of it in deferred benefits.

Other top local earners included Yeshiva University President Richard Joel ($619,700), Juilliard President Joseph Polisi ($617,839) and New School President Bob Kerrey ($603,267).